Speaking of the owner’s
suite, Viking wanted it to take full advantage of the boat’s 19'9"
beam. But the yard also wanted to provide easy access to it and the other
staterooms. To do so, it created a starboard corridor instead of the conventional
centerline companionway, which would be the convertible setup. “It’s
a bit different than what you’d expect on a convertible, but we wanted
the athwartships space for the master,” Frederikson said. Later,
Healey explained the rationale behind that thinking: “We found more
room by eliminating the centerline stairs and putting the master and port
guest, just forward of the master, on one side of the hallway.” Yet
another benefit is a day head just forward of the galley, and behind that,
a large stowage area accessed through a door. You can never have enough
stowage space, especially aboard a big, traveling boat like the 74.

As with the port-side
guest stateroom and the forepeak VIP stateroom, the master offers an en
suite head and plenty of stowage in drawers and cabinets. In addition,
both the VIP’s queen-size berth and master’s king have large
stowage compartments beneath the mattresses, accessed via hatches that
lift easily on gas-assisted rams. All these quarters are more than just
comfortable; they’re downright cushy and well-appointed.

Anglers and cruisers
alike will appreciate the main-deck galley, featuring two standard undercounter
Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer units, expansive granite-topped food-prep
spaces, and many drawers and cabinets, as well as the saloon’s 50-inch
Sony plasma TV, seating areas, and furnishings. But touring those spaces
would have to wait, as I heard the diesels come to life. We were about
to leave, and better yet, I was go­ing to be at the wheel.

By the time I made it
out to the cockpit, the crew was already removing our lines and winding
in the shore-power cords on one of two Glendinning Cablemasters. Our captain
quickly negotiated two jogs to starboard, and we were clear of the marina.

Honestly, I can’t
imagine too many things more exciting for a boater than taking the wheel
of a 135,000-pound (with 1,500 gallons of fuel and full water), 74-foot
convertible and running her up to a top speed of more than 44 mph. Heck,
her fast cruise (at 2250 rpm) was better than 42 mph, and with the seas
off Atlantic City dead calm, she tracked straight and true, carved S-turns,
and shrugged off hard-over 360s. With an optional 600 gallons of fuel
added to the 74’s standard 2,400-gallon capacity, our 74 had a calculated
range of 544 NM, and dropping back to 2000 rpm (just over 37 mph) added
100 miles to that number. And her bridge is just as well executed, with
a centerline helm, expansive console with room for plenty of electronics,
and ample seating and stowage, including a top-loading freezer at the
forward end of the console, which can hold food and/or bait. Sightlines
were great all around.

As we go to press, Viking
says it already has orders for 13 74s, some with the optional enclosed
bridge. Little wonder. This boat isn’t just big and impressive, she’s
well conceived, well executed, and well on its way to being one of the
most successful Viking convertibles ever. Perhaps, if the author of that
small-is-better expression had seen the Viking 74, he might have rephrased
it into something like, “Great things can come in big packages.”